


Dan the Man

by Anthem_of_Liones, rebel_raven



Series: Someone to Stay [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grand Theft Auto Setting, Banter, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Child Abandonment, Child Neglect, Conspiracy Theories, Criminal Activities, Dan is a good boy, Domestic Fluff, Embarrassment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Exposition, F/M, Fake AH Crew, Female Jack, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Fake AH Crew, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, Loving Healthy relationships, Major Character Injury, Minor Violence, Misinterpreted relationships, Misunderstandings, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Protective Ryan Haywood, Swearing, Temporary Character Death, Thief Gavin, Trans Female Character, Trans Jack Pattillo, Vagabond Ryan, Vagabond is a cryptid, Violence, criminal gavin, frontman gavin, gavin doesn't make it easy, he's trying to find his B, non-permanent death, single father Ryan, someone gets hit over the head, young lads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 01:06:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18458318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anthem_of_Liones/pseuds/Anthem_of_Liones, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebel_raven/pseuds/rebel_raven
Summary: When Dan was 2 years old, he met Gavin Free. They were inseparable.When Dan was 9 years old, he lost Gavin Free. He disappeared in AmericaNow, Dan is 18 and he'll do anything to find his lost friend.





	Dan the Man

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the first short in the Someone to Stay/LotRO universe! This will definitely be the first of many. I wrote this over the course of about a week and it's the longest thing I've ever written (raven does most of the writing for the main fic). Big probs to RR, my coauthor, for keeping me sane during the writing process. Seriously, check her out. Her stuff is amazing.
> 
> This is set 2 years after the end of the main fic, but is spoiler free (nothing major at all), so go ahead and enjoy! Reading the main story isn't necessary to know what's happening, but the situations that are referenced make more sense if you've read at least three chapters of the main story.
> 
> Note that at one point, Ryan uses a tracker to find Gavin. The Lads are not chipped- the dog tags that Ryan gave them have trackers implanted.

The police station that Dan sat in was not the nicest one he’d ever been in, but surely in a crime-ridden city like Los Santos -- especially in the lower east side -- the cops would be more on top of cases that came to them. The receptionist had been nice enough when he walked in at 10, smiling and easing his nerves when he stuttered out a request to see someone about a missing person case and telling him that “someone would be out shortly to see you”. But now it had been over two hours and, other than the occasional pair of cops passing through on their way to and from patrol and a sleeping man in the corner, he was alone in the lobby. He shifted in his seat, the hard plastic digging into his back, and checked his phone again. To his dismay, only three minutes had passed since he last checked. He let out a large sigh and tipped his head back, resting it on the wall behind him and closing his eyes.

Dan landed in Los Santos over a month ago, the city his final stop in his search. In that month, nothing of note had turned up. He’d visited almost every police station, talked to at least a dozen different social workers, and combed every back alley in downtown. Still, not a word nor whisper of his quarry. And, with only a measly three weeks left before he would have to return home to England per his agreement with his parents. Dan felt the crunch of time -- sitting there in a police station in the worst district of the most crime-riddled city in the country -- more than any of the other five cities he had visited. Each disappointment ate away at the lingering hope in his heart. The thought of returning empty-handed after eight years of wishing and planning brought tears to his eyes and tightness to his chest.

Someone cleared their throat. Dan opened his eyes and sat up fully, aware that he had allowed his awareness to slip in his reflection on his journey. A man, a cop, heavy set and wrinkled, stood in front of him, eyes looking down on his slouched form and brown pinched.

“Daniel Grunchy?” the cop asked, his voice gruff.

“That’s, uh, that’s me. Are you gonna hear my case now?” Dan responded.

“That’s the plan, kid. Follow me. I’m Officer Kelly.”

Dan grabbed his backpack and followed the officer out of the lobby and into a large room filled with desks of varying sizes and shapes. Almost all of them were overflowing with stacks of paper, but only a couple of cops seemed to be trying to make a dent. The others -- only five or so -- were all gathered around a desk in the opposite corner, talking and laughing loudly. Kelly shot the group a look, mouth downturned, but ignored them otherwise, weaving through the maze to a desk near another door at the back of the room. He pulled out his chair and sat down heavily, gesturing to the chair at the next desk.

“Sit down and show me what you got.”

Dan grabbed the offered chair and sat down a little more gingerly, putting down his bag and digging through it to produce a well-worn folder. Kelly eyed the folder, then turned his gaze back to Dan, eyebrow quirked in question. Dan took a deep breath and opened the folder.

“On, uh, on a trip taking place in the April of 2013, uh, Gavin David Free was, uh, he disappeared while he was, um, on a trip to America.”

He pulled out a picture of a nine-year-old Gavin, smiling broadly at the camera with an equally-aged Dan at his side. Kelly’s eyebrows rose and he sat back, rubbing his grey stubble.

“Continue.”

“He, he was nine years old.” Dan paused, licking his lips. “Upon returning to Wickham, England, his parents hired a private investigator to find him, the official claim being that he ran away. Now-”

“He wasn’t found?”

“No, sir.”

The officer scowled.

“And that was, let’s see, nine years ago now?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Look, kid, I don’t know what you want from me here.”

Dan bit his lip and looked down at the picture. He shuffled through the papers a bit before pulling out a report.

“This is, uh, the official case report done by the investigator. It says here that, that he spent a period of two weeks in Boston before returning empty-handed. But Boston was the first city out of _six_ on their trip. His parents only came back a few days early. If Gavin had gone missing in Boston, then--”

“Kid. This report says that the case was closed nine years ago. That means that no one’s actively looking for him.”

Dan opened his mouth to interject.

“Let me finish. I’d have to open a missing person case for him to go looking, and we don’t do them when it’s been more than one year since the person in question was last seen. So, what do you want me to do about it?”

Dan kept his eyes downcast, chewing on his lip and kneading his hands. Kelly sighed deeply, shaking his head, then reaching out and resting his hand over Dan’s.

“Look, kid--”

“It’s Dan. And, I know all that. I’ve researched this for seven years and have been actively looking for him in the States for over eleven months now. Hell, I’ve been in Los Santos for over a month already.”

Dan paused, licking his lips and swallowing.

“I, I just want to know if he’s in your system, or if you’ve seen him, or heard someone mention him. I, I...”

Dan trailed off, tears coming to his eyes. Kelly froze, his eyes widening. Clearly not knowing how to handle the crying teen, he resorted to awkwardly patting Dan’s knee.

“Kid, look."

Kelly ran a hand through his thinning hair.

“Unless he’s committed a crime, it’s against protocol for me to run his name through the system. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

Dan began wiping his eyes, face bright red and nose running. He sniffed.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to--”

“Kid. Dan. It’s okay. This boy clearly means a lot to you. But, you also might need to face the facts. If he was in Los Santos, well, it’s most likely that…”

“I know that!”

Dan stared at the cop, face burning red, but with a wild sort of desperation in his eyes.

“Don’t you think I don’t know that odds are he’s long dead in some alley or ditch somewhere! But, I..I need to find out. Even if… I need to know.”

Kelly maintained eye contact for a few seconds before looking down. He cleared his throat.

“I...I can’t go home empty-handed.”

The silence reigned for a while longer, Dan drying his tears on his tee-shirt and the officer sitting in silence.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ll be of any help. It’s probably best if you leave now.”

Dan froze, looking up at Kelly, tears still in his eyes.

“Yeah… yeah. I should go.”

He took a moment to reorganize his folder and put it back into his bag before standing up, the strap over his shoulder and clutched with a white-knuckled grip. Kelly scanned the teen up and down before turning and leading him back to the lobby. Dan continued to sniff as they walked, but had managed to compose himself by the time he was faced with the receptionist again. She furrowed her brow upon seeing him, glancing at the officer in her confusion. Kelly took a moment before clearing his throat.

“I’m afraid I couldn’t help, Heather. Make sure he’s all set.”

The man did not turn around right away, rubbing his fingers together, seemingly debating something in his head. The receptionist -- Heather -- gave Dan a small smile.

“Over here, deary. I’ll get you all sorted out. Let’s leave Officer Kelly to his work.”

Dan gave the cop one last look before turning his back and walking over to the desk.

“Dan.”

The teen stopped, then looked over his shoulder.

“What.”

“I-uh, I hope you find him. I really do.”

Kelly stood awkwardly, wringing his hands and shifting his weight. Dan cracked a smile.

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

The officer took his leave, pushing back into the office, and Dan approached the desk. Heather was still smiling at him, more broadly now, and had assembled some paperwork on a clipboard.

“I’m sorry that you’ll have to fill this out now and that you couldn’t earlier. We’re not allowed to give it out before you’ve seen an officer, logistics and all that, so I’m afraid that I’ll need to steal a bit more of your time.”

“It’s no trouble, ma’am. I didn’t have any other plans today anyways.”

Dan made his way back over to his seat in the corner. He sat back down and began filling out the paperwork. The sleeping man still sat on the other side of the room, snoring away. He got the papers filled out within fifteen minutes and turned them back into Heather, waving on his way out. Walking through the parking lot, he pulled his sunglasses from his bag, then reached the sidewalk and pointed himself in the direction of downtown.

The sun beat down on him, high in the sky and no doubt giving him a nice sunburn on the back of his neck. He meandered back to his hostel, in no real rush now that his task of the day had been completed despite the intense heat that noon had brought upon the city. The sidewalks were surprisingly empty for the time, the heat keeping most sane people inside. Cars still flew by, barely conscious of the pedestrians attempting to cross.

Dan turned the last corner before his hostel and caught a glimpse of spiky blond hair on the other side of the street. He stopped dead and turned to look, catching sight of a trio of men, the blond one lagging slightly behind the other two. One of them apparently said something to the blond, a squawk of protest rising from him. For a moment, Dan was back home, Gavin making that same stupid noise as he tried to avoid getting hit by Dan’s water gun. The blond ran to catch up to the other two and the trio turned the corner.

Dan was already in motion, running back down the street to the corner where he sprinted across, ignoring the horns that followed his spur-of-the-moment crossing. The trio was already halfway down the block, the third man lagging behind. He spun around in a circle before lurching forward and throwing an arm around the blond, causing him to stumble a bit. All three laughed, then suddenly veered into an alley. Dan slowed down to a more reasonable pace, his heart beating in his ears, and peeked into the alley. The men were already almost through. Dan pulled back and stood at the corner for a few breaths, trying to calm himself a bit. By the time he peeked again, the men were in the process of turning right out of the alley. Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, the teen stalked through the alley and poked his head around the corner, once again catching sight of the trio as they meandered down the more crowded street. Dan took a breath then merged into the considerable foot traffic.

He followed the men for a while, catching occasional exclamations of noise that brought him right back to a time when things were simpler and his family was whole. Eventually, they entered downtown, and thus the extensive lunchtime crowds as well. It wasn’t long before the three strangers vanished into the mob, Dan’s hopes going with them. He took a moment to breathe, leaning against a building, and allowing the sea of people to move around him. He reached a hand up to run over his face, smearing the sweat around a bit. The sounds played back in his head, over and over again until someone bumped into him.

“Out of the way, asshole!” the woman growled before continuing on her way, heels tapping a steady rhythm on the concrete. Dan dropped his arm and tipped his head back, letting it hit against the brick before he pushed off and turned back to the direction of his hostel, cursing his mind for playing tricks on him.

The walk back was uneventful, though long, and it was well into the afternoon before Dan finally entered the small building that functioned as his base for the time being. A couple of other young people milled around the lobby, those sitting propped awkwardly as they tried to avoid burning themselves on the hot leather of the furniture. Dan kept moving, nodding to the few that waved at him, and entered the stairwell. His room was on the fifth floor, and, with the building’s last updates squarely in the 80s, he was left to climb all four flights. He passed a few more people along the way, most content to ignore him, but the occasional person that was more up for human interaction smiled and asked how his day was going.

“Okay,” he’d always answer.

Upon reaching his room, Dan was relieved that his roommate was not present. The guy -- Gary something -- was okay, though he often pried too much into his search. Dan really did appreciate the sentiment, but sometimes he preferred not to be constantly reminded of his failure. He pulled his backpack off and set down next to his bed, then proceeded to throw himself onto said piece of furniture. Sighing into his pillow, he finagled his phone out of his pocket and lifted it into view, already unlocking it and navigating to his browser.

Dan spent the rest of the day like that, sifting through old newspapers, articles, and reports for some semblance of a clue. Dinner came around and he went down to join the others, grabbing whatever caught his eye before returning. Gary still had yet to return, the absence of his signature fanny pack confirming that he was nowhere in the building. Shaking his head, Dan continued to surf the web, this time his searches taking him to Reddit and the conspiracy pages. Apparently, Los Santos had its own fair share of local cryptids with huge fanbases. The most popular by far was that of “The Vagabond”; a man wearing a skull mask who stalked the criminals of the city. Apparently, there had been an incident two years prior where his existence was revealed to the public. Poking through the page, he quickly discovered that there were only a couple main theorists, and everyone else was just there for their content. The most popular by far went by the username “allegedly_vagab0nd”, the profile picture a close-up of the former cryptid and over one thousand posts to their name.

Dan chewed his lip in thought, then shrugged.

“Fuck it. Not like I’ll ever run into ‘em.”

The most popular post on the page was a several-thousand-word essay -- for what could something of that length be called other than an essay -- featuring blurry, clearly photoshopped photos of ole’ skull face himself. Dan scrolled through it a bit, checking everything out before starting back at the top.

_The Vagabond, the scourge of Los Santos, has stalked our streets and our minds for over 30 years when the first sightings were reported in the mid-80s. Nigh a civilian death to his name, he was considered to be a mere myth until his dramatic, incredibly public reveal a year ago. So, now, as the 35th anniversary of the first report approaches, I believe it’s high time someone put the effort in to try and lay down an accurate timeline. Lucky for you, readers, I’m more than happy to do it for you._

“Sounds like a real piece of work, this guy,” Dan mumbled.

_On September 23rd, 1985, one 29-year-old Robert Plume went to the police with a wild tale of a man dressed completely in black with a skull for a head saving him from a dozen drunk gangsters by brutally tearing all of them apart with nothing but a long knife._

Dan wrinkled his nose in disgust, then laughed, the mental image of some crazy guy jumping around like Yoda wielding a knife against a large group of armed gangsters too funny for him to remain silent.

 _He was originally laughed off as insane and, upon returning to the location of the supposed crime, there were no bodies to be found. Now, this report alone is not nearly enough to cement the myth. In fact, it was only after a few years that anyone noticed a small string of reports where a man in black with a skull for a face either saved someone’s life or killed some criminals: sometimes both. After this first wave of reports, however, the Vagabond seemingly disappeared for more than five years. At least, that’s what he’d like you all to think happened. In actuality, he seemed to have left the city in this time, several reports of a man dressed in black with a skull for a head killing petty criminals were filed in nearby coastal cities, the contents of which can be found_ _here_ _. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “How in the hell did you find these, Allegedly?” Don’t fret, I’ll tell you._

_In doing my research for this analysis I had to sift through an obscene number of old reports, a vast number barely legible due to bad scanning. As for the why I even went looking, well, I knew that Vagaboy didn’t just fuck off somewhere for that period. After all, since his debut, he’d been steadily active for three years before falling off the radar. There was no clear reason for him to stop being active, so, if he wasn’t active in Los Santos, then where did he go? These thoughts drove me to begin looking through homicide reports from nearby cities in an attempt to track--_

“‘Sup, fucker!” Gary shouted as he threw open the door, causing Dan to jump and slam his head into the wall behind him.

“Bloody hell, Gary! Why do you insist on doing that every time you come back?”

The other boy let out a loud cackle, moving into the room and unbuckling his fanny pack.

“Your reactions, dude! You’ve gotta be the jumpiest bitch this side of the city.”

Dan rolled his eyes and put his phone down, saving the article for later; with his roommate now present, he’d be lucky to get anything other than sleeping done. Gary smirked, then proceeded to search through his duffle bag for something. Free for the time being, Dan checked his phone for the time. The clock read 10:49 pm.

“Why were you out so late?” Dan asked, getting up to grab his own stuff for bed.

“Just got too caught up in something and lost track of time. No worries!”

He full-on grinned at Dan before standing up with a bundle clutched in his arms.

“Anyways, Imma go change and then you’re gonna tell me about how your search went today, okay? No skimping out.”

“Fiiiiine.”

The other boy sauntered back out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Dan rolled his eyes again, but still proceeded to throw on his sleeping clothes. By the time Gary came back, the Brit had changed and sat on his bed, phone in hand.

“Spill,” Gary demanded, sitting down on his own bed, reaching over to his fanny pack to retrieve his phone from the pocket.

“Station was a bust, the cop was nice enough though. Kelly, I think his name was. Really sympathetic, but unable to really handle it, ya’ know?”

Gary nodded vigorously, hands fidgeting with his device.

“Like, he was super professional and everything about it, and he listened to my story up until he realized what I wanted him to do. He, uh, said something that just kinda set me off, and I, uh, might have started crying.”

The other boy stopped moving entirely, his mouth a frown and brow furrowed in concern.

“You good, though?” he asked.

“I’m good. Officer Kelly didn’t really know how to handle it. He just kinda sat there and let it happen before telling me that he couldn’t help and sending me off. The bloke did wish me well though. Prolly felt bad about the whole ‘letting me cry’ thing.”

Gary let out a laugh at that, head tossed back and smile wide.

“I guess miracles do happen! A good cop this side of Santos? You got mighty lucky, friend. Anything else?”

Dan chewed on his lip, fidgeting with his phone and trying to decide if he should share his afternoon adventure.

“Come on, dude. I told you to spill.”

“I, uh, I thought I saw him this afternoon.”

Gary froze, staring at him, mouth open.

“You FOUND him!?” he exclaimed.

“No, I didn’t. I _thought_ I saw him, could have been any blond bloke. But, I could have sworn I heard him.”

Now Gary was confused, staring intently at Dan’s face, clearly trying to puzzle out what had happened.

“Like, I know this is stupid, but, when we were kids, he’d, uh, he’d make the most ridiculous noises. He sounded so much like a bird that we’d joke that he’d up and grow bloody wings or something. I swore I heard one of those noises today, Gary.”

“Well, if you say so, then I believe you.”

“No, you, ahhh… I followed the bloke, he was with two other men, and chased them through the city, only for me to lose them downtown. All the while, I swear I’d occasionally hear him, but, God, the way it echoed through my head. I’m not really sure I really heard it or if my mind was playing with me.”

The two teens fell silent; Gary looking down with his brow furrowed in thought and Dan chewing on his lip and wringing his hands waiting for the other boy’s response. The silence reigned for a few minutes before Gary left out a long sigh.

“Dan. I, uh, I know this means a lot to you. I-I can’t even imagine doing what you’re doing for any person in my life…”

Gary paused for a moment and licked his lips. Dan stared at him, waiting for him to finish his thought.

“I, well, I thought you were crazy for a while. Dude from jolly old England on a trip through the states trying to find a friend who disappeared almost a decade ago. That’s something that only happens in movies, ya know? That’s why I gave ya such a hard time.”

“Are you gonna get to the point? I’d very much like to sleep now.”

Gary’s head shot up to look at Dan, eyes wide in shock. Dan was scowling, jaw set and face tight.

“I’m gettin’ there. Give me a sec.”

Dan’s only response was to huff and rolling his eyes.

“What I’m tryin’ to get at is that you’re a hell of a guy, Grunchy. Slightly insane, but still. Gavin’s lucky to have you. And, I’m sure you’ll find him. It’s not like the Vagabond got ‘em or anythin’.”

No one said anything for a few minutes. Gary fidgeted with his phone and shifted around on the bed. Tears gathered in Dan’s eyes, and he reached up to wipe them away, sniffling as he did so.

“Thanks, Gary. That’s probably the, uh, nicest thing you’ve said to me yet.”

The teen gasped in shock, his hand pressing against his chest, scandalized.

“Dan! Why, how could you say such a thing? I’ve said plenty of nice shit since I’ve moved in with ya’.”

The Brit raised an eyebrow.

“Really? You might have to jog my memory a little.”

Gary threw back his head, laughing before he waved his hand at the other boy.

“Go the fuck to sleep Dan, maybe it’ll help your bad attitude.”

With that, he threw back the covers and buried himself under them in one smooth movement, making sure to keep a hold on his charging cord. A hand reached out, groping for his headphones for a moment before retreating back with its prize. Dan laughed softly at the dramatic boy before he plugged his own phone in and settled in for the night.

The next few days passed in the same dull way. Dan would wake up, eat breakfast, grab his bag, and hit the streets. Then, he’d spend a few hours walking through a district, stopping people on the street -- as long as they didn’t look too harmful -- and asking if they’d seen anyone resembling his lost friend. When it got too hot, or he got hungry, Dan would find his way inside to find something for lunch before spending the rest of the afternoon in the same way. He’d then return to the hostel for dinner and spend the evening surfing the web for any sign of Gavin’s continued existence. In that time, he also finished the article on the Vagabond, coming away with the conclusions that he would definitely not be going out after dark and that people had way too much time on their hands. All the while, he’d swear that he could hear Gavin in the distance, taunting him with his stupid bird noises. The failure weighed heavy on his consciousness, draining his energy while disrupting his sleep.

The night before the end of his sixth week in the city, Dan found that his hope was gone. He only had two weeks left before his deadline and, what could two more weeks do when he’d been searching for months already? He sat in his room, the setting sun casting long shadows through the space. The cell weighed a ton as he lifted it to his ear, the ringing echoing through his head.

 _"H_ _ello? Dan, sweetie? Is everything okay? You’ve already called us this week._ ”

Dan swallowed, fidgeting with his lip as he did so as he shifted in place.

“D _an? Is everything okay?_ ”

“Yeah, uh, I’m okay. It’s just, I, uh, I… I need to tell you something.”

“ _I’m here._ ”

“Well, I, I’ve…”

Dan stopped again, tears pricking his eyes as he tried to formulate what he wanted to say. His mother was kind enough just to wait for him.

“I, well, there’s nothing. No trace. I’ve talked to so many people, people whose job is to know what happens to kids like him, and nothing’s turned up and it’s been weeks and I think I’m losing my mind, hearing him and all that, and I, I--”

“ _Dan. Just tell me._ ”

The Brit stopped talking, very aware of his dwindling oxygen and the tears falling from his eyes. He took a few minutes to calm himself down, his mom humming a tune under her breath as she waited. Dan took one last deep breath.

“I, I’m good now. I’m sorry.”

“ _You have nothing to apologize for. I know how hard all of this is for you. Why don’t you finish what you wanted to say?_ ”

“I, well, I… I don’t think I can keep going. There’s nothing to find. I… I’m done. I’m ready to come home.”

Both went silent at the cold finality in Dan’s voice. His mother let out a slow breath while he tried to control his still-falling tears.

“ _Oh, Dan. I’m sorry. I know how much this means to you--_ ”

“Stop!”

The exclamation startled her and she fell silent. Cars continued to roar past. The voices of the other youths floated up from the common room.

“Just, stop. I don’t want your pity. I know you’ve wanted me to give this up for years. I just called to let you know that I’ll be spending one more day searching, then I’ll buy my ticket and be out of the city by Friday.”

His voice was thick with emotion, slightly choked up from the water streaming down his face.

“ _Dan, I--_ ”

“I don’t want to hear it. You got your wish. I’ll call when I’m on my way.”

He slammed his finger on the end call button and threw his phone down, breathing coming in fast gasps. His tears soaked his already sweaty shirt. Dan clenched his hands before swinging at the wall, the punch connecting with a solid crack. He raised his other hand to his face, wiping at the salty mess.

“Shit.”

He sat back down and picked up his phone, navigating to his photos. He scrolled through them until he came to a shot of two boys laughing at the camera. One’s arm was around the other, pulling him into a hug while the setting sun shone from behind them. The picture was from the last time he had seen Gavin, his parents having allowed one last sleepover before their trip. Dan’s parents had brought them to Gav’s favorite place; a large hill just outside the town where they could watch the sun vanish over the trees in peace. It was there that Gavin had told Dan that he was confident that the trip was a sign of his parents actually trying to be parents. Dan hadn’t believed him, but still smiled and gave his best wishes. Three weeks later, Gavin’s parents had returned without him.

A choked sob crawled its way out of Dan’s throat. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth, the tears falling anew at the memory. They splattered on the screen, twisting the image into something else. He wiped the water away, looking at how Gavin’s smile played across his face and made his large nose look even bigger. He swallowed, turning his phone off and setting it on top of his bag before turning and laying on his bed, curled into a ball. When Gary returned that night, he didn’t dare ask Dan what his day had been like, merely entering the room as normal and talking non-stop about his own adventures before climbing into bed himself.

Dan did not sleep well, his dreams filled with the smiling visage of his friend and the last words he had ever said to him.

The next morning, he dressed silently, Gary’s chatter related to everything but the dried tracks down Dan’s face and silent despair that followed him. By the time he had made his way down to breakfast, Dan had cleaned up and summoned enough energy to appear like a functioning human. He grabbed his bag, waved bye to Gary and his friends, then set out for his last search.

Dan meandered his way into Vespucci, the district being his least-searched based on the fact that Gavin had always hated the ocean. The people here were less likely to look down on him in his well-worn clothing than people in the higher-class downtown, but they were also more wary of a foreigner looking for someone. As such, his day went by in the same manner as the previous ones; his search proving fruitless and hot, the sun somehow even more determined to melt everything on this side of the city than the other despite the occasional relief from the ocean breeze.

When the sun started to creep towards the horizon, Dan called it a day. He had to be back before sundown; cryptids or not, Los Santos was not somewhere to wander in the dark. He sighed heavily before turning around to head back east. He was almost back to Little Seol when something caught his eye. There was a car park tucked away behind a building, the edge just visible from his position. That in itself wasn’t odd, the fact that there were four people standing in between two cars conversing was. Dan narrowed his eyes, squinting and trying to see if he could see any more detail from across the street. Unable to, he crossed quickly, the streets oddly empty for the time of day.

Upon reaching the edge, he crouched down behind a barrier, hiding from view. Two of the people faced him but apparently were occupied as neither reacted to his presence. Both seemed fairly average for the city, wearing jeans and jackets over sweatshirts despite the heat -- people were insane in this city -- and stances steady. The other two, however, were not ordinary. The taller one wore all black, the only color on him being the blue on the shoulders of his jacket and the silver rings on the sleeves. He hung back a little, stance casual and seemingly nonplussed. The other one wore tight jeans, and what appeared to be a nice purple button-down, the sleeves rolled up. He couldn’t seem to stand still, shifting constantly, tapping his feet, and running his hands through his blond hair, but somehow the fidgeting didn’t come off as nervous.

Two of the men, one of the regular guys and the one in purple, were talking. The other two content to stand around. He moved a little closer to the group, wary, but none of them noticed. It was then, as he ducked behind a new barrier, that Dan was able to pick up on the conversation.

“-All I’m sayin’ is, you an’ your guys owe us for last month. The shipment ‘ad loads of faulties and if our demo-man ‘adn’t checked ‘em first we’d ‘ave died pullin’ the last heist!”

Dan stopped breathing at the familiar British tone.

“Not our fault you all suck. Now, is this gonna happen or not?

“If you’d be reasonable, then I don’t see why not. Come on, mate, I’m sure you wanna get the Saints off’a your asses. An’ we just want access to the shippin’ yards on the twentieth. Surely your boss’d be willin’ to negotiate somethin’.”

“No can do. Bossman said that we were doin’ business with Ramsey, not some British twink.”

The blond deflated a little, slouching over. The dark one shifted, his stance going from casual to confident and causing the other two to look at him. The one speaking snorted.

“Also, tell your friend here to get a new look. Vagabond won’t be pleased to know there’s someone tarnishing his rep by guarding bottom feeders. Let’s go, Garth.”

With the last remark, the two turned around and walked over to a parked car, getting in and driving away, one of them flipping off the two still standing as they went. As soon as the car was gone, the blond one slouched and ran a hand through his hair. He then stalked over to another car and kicked it.

“Fuck!” he shouted, kicking the car again.

The other man turned to watch him, revealing a black skull where his face should be. Heart pounding in his chest, Dan lurched back behind his cover and took a deep breath.

“Just had to be the bloody Vagabond, didn’t it?” he muttered, hand on his chest.

A couple more expletives and cracks sounded from the lot before there was quiet. Dan risked another peak around the barrier. The first man had his hands on his head, fingers threaded through his hair. The change in angle revealed a familiar, beak-like nose with gaudy sunglasses perched on the bridge. Dan’s breath caught when the blond pushed the shades from his face into his hair; he was close enough and there were enough details that, even after eight years, there was no way he’d mistake that face for anyone else.

“Gavin?” he breathed.

The other man -- the guy who looked like the Vagabond -- walked slowly over, coming to stand just behind Gavin. He reached over and placed a hand heavily on his shoulder, spinning him around. Dan took the opportunity to duck back behind the barrier and slink his way around the lot, trying to get a better angle, keeping low and straining to hear as he moved.

“You okay?” the man, presumably the one in the mask, sounded concerned.

“I’m bloody not, Ryan! You don’t get it! Geoff assigned _me_ to this job because he thought I could handle it! And I went and buggered it!”

“It’s not your fault those guys were assholes.”

“I know that! I just…”

Gavin let out a sound of frustration, it sounded a lot like his signature squawks. Dan risked another peek over the barrier. The two faced each other, the other man -- Ryan? -- with his arms crossed and Gavin with his hands in his hair again. Gavin then whipped around again and stalked past the car, his arms coming down to wrap around his torso. Dan ducked back down and moved forwards again. He was trying to get in a position where he could approach the masked man from behind.

“I know I could ’av done it. I went and spouted off some faff an’ they called it. No way it was just their fault. I failed to do somethin’ so easy tha’ even _Matt_ coulda’ done it!”

The end of his statement was punctuated with another thud of him kicking the car.

“Come on, Gav. Don’t take it out on the car. It was your first job. No one expected it to be a cakewalk. Let’s just go back.”

By now Dan had was firmly behind the second man. He looked around, trying to find something to defend himself with, his eyes landing on a piece of rebar. Gavin made a choked noise, and Dan stopped dead.

“I, I just. I can’t go back empty-handed. This was somethin’ Geoff _needed_. If I can’t do this one thing, afta’ all he’s done for me, well, I’m clearly not worth the investment.”

The statement was followed by silence, the sounds of the city sounding very distant in the moment. It was broken by a choked sob. Dan shot up, needing to see what had happened. Gavin had doubled over, arms hugging his stomach as he sobbed, tears falling to the pavement. The man cautiously approached the crying teen, hands up and arms open. Dan grabbed the metal off the ground and vaulted over the barrier, the sound of his feet hitting the pavement too loud in the quiet. Apparently, it did not reach the two, neither reacting as Dan sprinted across the lot, rebar held off to his side. In fact, the man only reacted when Dan was almost on top of them, turning slightly and his hand descending to his hip.

He was too slow, however, as Dan brought the rebar up and slammed it into the side of his head with a meaty smack. The man dropped like a rock. Gavin looked on in shock, frozen even as tears continued to flow down his cheeks. Dan didn’t move, panting as he waited to see if the other boy would react. Even as they stood there, looking at each other like idiots, Gavin did not move, apparently too in shock to do much of anything other than stare. Dan dropped the rebar, the clang startling the blond out of his trance, and ran over, grabbing his wrist and pulling out onto the sidewalk. Gavin stumbled a bit at first, squawking in protest -- oh, how Dan had missed that -- but settled into the demanding pace the teen had set easily enough.

The two ran for a long while, Dan’s destination seemingly just being downtown. His heart pounded in time with his feet, Gavin’s harsh breathing the only other sound reaching his ears. He pulled them into an alley and, before he could make it all the way through, Gavin stopped hard enough that his wrist was yanked from Dan’s grip. The dark-haired Brit stumbled forwards a bit, not expecting the sudden break, before stopping, breathing heavily. Both boys stood there for a few minutes trying to catch their breath.

Dan took the time to examine Gavin more closely. The blond’s jeans were tight with just enough of a wash to look pretentious. His shoes were brown boots, the shine marking them as leather. His purple top was most definitely high-end, the fabric soaked through from sweat in places. The ridiculous sunglasses had also somehow made the journey, perched on his head. The boy himself was bent over, arms around his middle as he greedily sucked air into his probably-screaming lungs. When he stood back up, he reached up and tugged at his collar, eyes finding Dan’s. He licked his lips.

“Wot the bloody hell was that?” he asked, voice still a little breathless.

Dan stared at him, silent.

“You gonna answer me? I was in the middle o’ somethin’ if ya’ hadn’t noticed.”

The blond scowled at him, one hand reaching up to adjust his shades.

“You, you don’t recognize me?”

“Am I supposed ta’?”

“B, Gav. It, it’s me. _Dan_. I, I came to find you.”

Gavin froze, his eyes widened a little and his posture tightened, before his gaze narrowed in suspicion.

“How do you know that name?”

It was Dan’s turn to be appalled. He took a step back as if he’d been hit, a hand moving up to his heart.

“Gavin, I, I’ve been looking for ya for so long. I’ve searched every city you were visiting! Look!”

Dan fumbled for his backpack, very aware of the way Gavin’s eyes watched his every move.

“Here’s everything! I have the bullshit report that your parents filed, the notes from the investigator they hired. I, here’s a pic of us, as wee lads! Look, we were so small! Remember that?”

Gavin moved in closer, cautious as if he were expecting Dan to attack him. He held out his hand and Dan handed the folder to him, eager to prove his identity. The blond took a few minutes to pick through the papers, looking up occasionally. Dan shifted his feet nervously, tapping his fingers against his legs, then fidgeting with his shirt before pulling out his phone.

“I-I don’t know what to say. I can’t…”

Dan’s head snapped up at the voice, his phone vanishing back into his pocket and expression hopeful. Gavin ran his hand through his hair before closing the folder and handing it back. His eyes raked up and down, taking in Dan’s appearance. His eyes teared up and he stepped forwards.

“Dan? Boy? Is that really you?”

“Yep. I told you I’d find ya’ if you ever left.”

Gavin lurched forwards, slamming into Dan and wrapping his arms around him. Dan returned the hug, squeezing the other boy tight as he started crying as well. The two stood there for a while, basking in each other’s presence. Gavin pulled away first, wiping at his eyes are soon as his arms were free. Dan followed suit, laughing a little as he did so.

“Look at us, B. Two blokes huggin’ it out and cryin’ in an alley. Da’d never let us hear the end of it.”

Gavin let out a watery laugh in response.

“Yeah. Come on, B. Let’s go somewhere with AC.”

Dan followed the teen out of the alley onto the street again. The two walked for a couple of minutes before Gavin pulled him into a small cafe on a corner. He sat Dan down at one of the tables before heading to the counter and ordering a couple of teas. Upon returning, he smiled sheepishly at him.

“I hope you’re okay with drinks. I figured it’d be indecent of us to sit here and not order anything.”

“Oh.” Dan blinked. “Yeah, that’s fine, just… _Gavin_.”

“Wot?”

“It’s, you’re, I _found_ you. I’ve been in the states for almost a year and combed through five cities and it’s been years since you left and-”

“Breathe, Grunchy. I know. I, well, I’m a little out of it as well, I think.”

The two fell silent, simply observing the other, taking in their aged appearances.

“B, I, well, I have so many questions! Where’ve ya’ been? How ya’ve been? What ‘appened? Who was that bloke at the car park? Why were you scared-”

“Dan, just hold on a moment. Our drinks are ready.”

The blond stood up, going over to the counter and giving Dan a moment to order his thoughts. He returned, plopping the cups down and easing himself into his seat.

“‘Ope ya’ still like too much sugar in your tea. It’s too late, otherwise.”

A grin had made its way onto Gavin’s face, his eyes shining. Dan smiled back.

“Of course, B. Who do ya’ take me for? Bitter tea is for animals.”

The statement pulled another squawk of protest from the boy, his expression scandalized.

“Oh, I’m the animal? The only thing tha’ sugar does is ruin a perfectly good cup o’ tea.”

Both laughed, beaming at the other. Dan took a sip cautiously, relieved that the tea was, indeed, sweet enough.

“What happened, B? I just, I need to know.”

Gavin stopped laughing at that. His lips pursed and his brow pinched. Dan allowed him a few moments before speaking again.

“I, uh, I mean… You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I know how touchy you can get about your parents-”

“Those two do not deserve to be called my parents. The most they ever did was birth me and make sure I could read and write. Your folks did everything that mattered.”

Dan’s mouth dropped. Gavin had never professed such a negative view of his parents. Even after the one time they forgot he existed for a week and he had to find food on his own, Gavin hadn’t even insinuated that they weren’t up to their titles.

“I, I didn’t know ya’ thought that way about them.”

“The thought was always there, ya’ know. I guess I just was willing to deal cuz I ‘ad you. Anyways, you wanted to know wot happened, right?”

Dan nodded, silent after the outburst.

“We’d been in the city for a few days, sightseeing and all that gaff, and we were doin’ some shoppin’. I’d been wanting to check out the camera place and they wanted nothing to do with it. We came to an _agreement_ \--”

Gavin spat out the word as if it had offended him grievously.

“--that I’d spend twenty minutes in there. They’d wait for me in the clothing store across the street. Thing was, when I came back to meet ‘em, they were gone.”

Dan tightened his grip on the cup, his teeth clenching in anger. Gavin looked up, taking note of the reaction before looking back down into his drink.

“I looked, ya’ know. Asked around and talked ta’ the employees. They tried to call ‘em to the desk, but zero luck. Someone called the coppers, I think. I ran before they got there, ended up on the streets, learning how ta’ steal and shit to keep myself fed.”

Gavin took a long sip of his tea as Dan digested the story.

“Wait, but you’re not on the streets now, right? Not with those clothes. Then how-”

“Look, just, enough about me for now, B. What’s been goin’ on with ya’?”

Dan paused, questions burning but he let the topic slide.  
  
“I mean, I’ve been looking for you.”

“Other than that, I mean, ya’ goof.”

And so Dan launched into a story about how he had made the school football team after a particularly harrowing try-out.

One hour later and several blocks away, one Ryan Haywood let out a groan and shifted on the ground. He opened his eyes and winced in pain, the small action sending a jolt of pain through his skull. Clutching his head, he sat up slowly, various aches and pains from his fall making themselves known as well, though they paled in comparison to the pounding of his skull. Ryan leaned against the car for a few seconds, trying to get his bearings. He was still in the lot, no new cars or people. A piece of rebar lay on the ground next to him. Gavin and whoever had clobbered him, however, were nowhere to be seen.

Ryan shot to his feet, hand going back up to his temple, trying to soothe the sharp pain. Looking around revealed no clues as to the whereabouts of his son and the kidnapper. Snarling, he threw open the car door and climbed in, grabbing his phone out of his pocket in the same motion. He quickly chose Geoff -- labeled “Dickhead” -- from his contacts and called. While he waited for him to answer, he started the car and checked to make sure his pistol and knives were still in place.

“ _What is it now Ry-_ ” Geoff started.

“Gavin got nabbed.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Someone came up behind me and smacked me over the head, knocked me out. It’s been, what-”

He checked the clock on the dash.

“-an hour since. I need you to track his tags. You in a place to do that or do I need to call someone else?”

Geoff was silent.

“Geoff, can. You. Do. That?”

“ _I, uh, yes. I’m in my office. Give me a sec. Any idea who grabbed ‘im?_ ”

“None, I would have heard him comin’ up on us, but I was distracted; didn’t hear ‘im until he was already swingin’. You got his location yet?”

“ _It’s tracking, give it a sec. What the hell were you doin’ that had you distracted enough to get jumped?_ ”

“Deal went south. Gav took it hard. Now, _where is he_?”

Ryan clenched the steering wheel tighter, the leather of his gloves creaking.

“ _It just popped up, Gesù. He’s, uh, downtown, corner of tenth and seventeenth, not moving, I’ll stay on the line and let you know if he moves._ ”

“Heading over now.”

Ryan fell silent, throwing the car into gear and swerving out of the lot. Loud honking followed him, but the painted green star kept anyone from acting on their anger. He had to make a conscious effort to keep his foot from flattening the accelerator; the last thing he needed was to bring the cops down on him. Within minutes, he pulled onto tenth and slowed.

“He still stationary?” Ryan asked.

“ _Yep. Where are you_?”

“Tenth and eleventh. I’m gonna drive a few more blocks then pull off and walk the rest of the way.”

“ _Buona Fortuna._ ”

Ryan hung up and turned off at fifteenth, then pulled into an empty alley. He climbed out, did one last check to ensure that his mask and weapons were still in place before he locked the car and began stalking towards the address. He stuck to the backstreets and cut-throughs, trying to avoid being seen by civilians. All the while, his rage simmered in his veins. Upon reaching the corner though, the sight of Gavin sitting across from another boy with drinks in front of both surprised him.

This time of day, the cafe was almost empty, a lone woman sitting on a laptop in the back corner the only other patron. Luckily, the dark-haired boy sat facing the counter and not the window. As it was, Gavin caught sight of him and flashed a quick gesture, one that meant that he had the situation under control. Ryan pulled back around the corner, content to wait in the alleyway for his son to bring their quarry to him.

Inside the cafe, Gavin threw his head back and laughed. Dan smiled and shook his head. He had just finished telling a story about how his first date with the captain of the chess team went.

“Surely it wasn’t  _that_ funny?” Dan complained.

“O’ course it was! Bloody ‘ell, haven’t laughed that hard in a while.”

Gavin continued to chuckle for a bit, shaking his head. Dan rolled his eyes.

“Now, I think we should git goin’. It’s getting late and I think these lovely ladies are tryin’ to close up.”

Dan’s eyes widened and he whipped his phone out, checking the time. It was approaching eight o’ clock. He turned around and saw the long shadows, marking the approach of night.

“Oh, bugger me. It’s gonna take ages to get back to ma room.”

Gavin stood up and smiled down at him.

“Aw, don’t worry, B. I gotcha’ covered. Follow me.”

Dan followed the blond as he got outside and turned left, making the corner. They walked a little-ways down before Gavin stopped. He pulled out his phone and tapped a few times.

“My ride’s a block over. We can cut through here to save some time.”

They stood in front of an alley, empty other than a few dumpsters, but the shadows clung to the walls and it definitely looked like someplace where muggers would hang in wait for marks.

“You sure, B?

“Of course! Who do ya’ take me for? We’ll be top.”

With that, Gavin flashed him a smile and sauntered into the alley. Dan sighed, deflating slightly, then followed the teen anyway. About half-way through, Gavin turned around, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“You know, this reminds me of tha’ one time when we were lost in London for an hour. Remember tha’, B?”

Dan thought for a moment, then chuckled when the memory hit.

“Ya’ mean when _you_ got us bloody lost. _I_ knew exactly… where…”

Dan trailed off, eyes widening as a dark figure rose from behind one of the dumpsters and drifted to stand behind the blond, his dark skull mask looking downright demonic in the low light.

“No you didn’t, ya’ wanker,” Gavin continued, seemingly not noticing the man behind him, “Both of us were lost. Your mum almost ‘ad a bloody heart attack.”

“You… but, you’re dead… I _killed_ you.” Dan now spoke to the masked man, ignoring the blond in front of him.

“Wot are ya’ on about now?”

The man let out a low chuckle that built into a full-on supervillain laugh. Gavin let out a squawk and whirled around, hand on his heart.

“Wot the fuck, Ryan! You scared the shite out of me!” Gavin shouted, smacking the man -- Ryan? -- on his arm.

Dan was frozen, his eyes still wide and mouth open. Ryan continued to laugh, tipping his head back as it turned from evil to normal. He doubled over, hands on his stomach. Gavin crossed his arms and shifted, tapping his foot.

“I can’t believe you. I figured you’d come up to us like, I don’t know, a _normal_ humanWhy do ya’ have to be so bloody dramatic all the time?”

“Honestly, it was too good to resist. Besides, your _friend_ here owes me for the shit he pulled back at the lot.”

The man’s tone had shifted partway through his statement, turning threatening as he glowered down at Dan. The Brit took a step back, one hand lifting to keep a hold of his bag in preparation to run. A confused look passed over Gavin’s face before his eyes widened and mouth opened in realization. He barked out a laugh and reached out to grab the other boy by his arm, dragging him to his side.

“This is Dan! Ya’ remember Dan, right? I’d talk about ‘im all the time!”

Ryan tilted his head, crossing his arms.

“Dan. Really? You don’t think it’s a little odd that he found you and, instead of approaching you like a normal person, snuck up on us and _attacked_ me?”

The ice in his tone sent shivers down Dan’s spine. He shot a desperate look to the blond, trying to pull his arm away.

“Aw, come on, Ry! I’m sure he ‘ad a good reason, didn’t cha’, B?”

Dan licked his lips nervously and shifted on his feet. Ryan continued to bore holes in his head.

“Right, B? Dan?”

“I, uh, well, it was you, there in the lot, and I, uh, heard ya’ talking about bein’ afraid of heading back, and I, uh, I thought that maybe you were being forced into it?”

His voice climbed at the end as his shoulders crept up nervously. Gavin stared for a second, then blinked, then let out a laugh.

“Forced? Why would ya’ think that?”

“I, well, you were talking about being an investment to someone…? And, well, Ryan here seemed like he was pushing for you to come back and it seemed like you didn’t want to...”

The blond’s expression fell and he looked away. His feet shifted nervously and Ryan took a step forward, letting his hand fall on the boy’s shoulder.

“Geoff, well,” Ryan cleared his throat before continuing, “Gavin’s been practicing for a long time to be able to run deals, among other things. He’s not the most intimidating, as you can see.”

Gavin let out a weak chuckle at that.

“Geoff knew that, but he also sees Gav’s natural charisma and decided to hone it. He’s been coaching Gavin in how to be a good front man. Today was his first deal.”

Dan’s face flushed red in embarrassment.

“I, oh no, I’m sorry! I didn’t know! I, I thought that you were in bloody debt or somethin’! I would never have jumped Ryan if I’d known that!”

Ryan breathed out a laugh before turning his gaze to Gavin. The blond’s head was down and he looked to be close to crying. Ryan pulled him into a one-armed hug before looked back at Dan.

“I don’t blame you for misreading the situation. Now, how about we head out?”

He nodded nervously, hands playing with the straps of his backpack. Ryan turned, guiding Gavin around and they began walking. The man led them through the maze of side streets for a couple of blocks until they reached a car parked in the mouth of an alley.

“Hop in, I’ll drive you to wherever you’re staying and we can stop by to pick up your things?”

Dan’s eyes widened and he raised his arms in a defensive gesture.

“You don’t ‘ave to give me a place to stay! I’ve been living in a hostel the last month or so, and I’m paid through the end of the week. I’m fine staying there.”

Ryan shook his head, opening the passenger side door so Gavin could slip in.

“You’re Gavin’s friend. Like hell I’d let you stay somewhere where something could happen to you. Get in.”

The end of his sentence was punctuated by the closing of the car door. He crossed his arms and managed to look incredulous despite his face being hidden. The fading light cast shadows across his mask, lending to the terrifying visage. Dan sighed, rubbing his hands together.

“Um, okay, I guess.”

He climbed into the back as Ryan got in front. As Dan buckled himself in, Ryan started the engine and looked at Gavin, who sat and stared forlornly into space. He started out of his trance when the man hit his arm gently.

“It’ll be okay. After all, you and I both know that Geoff’s not nearly as scary as he thinks he is. And besides, you found your long-lost childhood friend! You should be over the moon right now, not moping about a couple of assholes who assumed I’d allow someone else to impersonate me.”

Gavin cracked a smile, his whole face lighting up at the encouragement.

“Thanks, lovely Ryan. Most Geoff’ll probably do is complain a whole lot and send someone to nab the shipment anyways. And you’re right! My boy found me! I told Michael that he just probably didn’t know how to use a computer!”

Ryan barked out a laugh as he backed the car into the road and pulled into traffic. Dan’s face reddened.

“Wot! I bloody well know how to work a computer! You probably were just shit at lookin’!”

“No, I’m not! Tell ‘im I’m tippy toppers with computers, Rye!”

As he spoke, the blond hit Ryan on the arm and the man swatted him away.

“I’ll admit you’re okay with computers, Gav, not whatever you said, but okay. Dan, where you lodging?”

Gavin squawked in protest and batted at the offending arm.

“You take that back, Ryan!”

“Address, Dan?”

Dan smiled and sighed at the antics, before giving the address to the man.

“I can’t believe you! Embarrassing me in front of my friend like that! Don’t listen to him, Dan! He’s a bloody liar!”

“Am I? Remember that time you accidentally downloaded a virus with the firewall down and took out the whole network for three days?”

“Ryan! You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone it was me! I can’t believe you!”

Ryan laughed his supervillain laugh. Gavin turned away pouting, before looking back at Dan.

“You sure you’re okay with stayin’ with us? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I, I mean, of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because Ryan’s a right mong when he’s being all creepy. I don’t want you to feel like you’re being forced into staying with us.”

“I mean…”

Dan took a moment to really think. While staying at the hostel would keep him from imposing on Gavin and whoever else he lived with, he would have to wait until the next day for actual answers about his friend’s whereabouts. Besides, this way he’d make sure that his B didn’t run off and get himself hurt.

“It would probably be best if I did. Don’t wanna lose track of you again.”

Gavin smiled broadly, then turned back around in his seat.

“Good,” Ryan said, “I wouldn’t have trusted you to keep an eye on Gavin anyways.”

Gavin squawked in protest, then fell silent, sulking. A couple of minutes passed before another car screamed past them, blaring its horn. Ryan tensed, his head flinching away from the noise.

“Wait…” Dan questioned, “How are you functioning, let alone alive? I smacked you so hard that you dropped immediately!”

Ryan simply laughed and tilted his head so he could see Dan in the mirror.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I think I should be. I don’t want someone with a concussion responsible for driving me through traffic.”

“Bah, I’m fine. I’ve done more with worse.”

“That concerns me.”

The man just laughed again and turned his gaze back on the road.

“Ryan! Must you always be so bloody dramatic?” Gavin asked.

“You know you like it.”

“I really don’t. Especially when it’s late and you’re lurking in the dark like a creep.”

“You still come back to bed, don’t you?”

“Ryan!”

“Gavin!”

Dan’s eyes widened and he slid down in his seat. The two continued to banter all the way to the hostel. All the while, a question grew in the back of Dan’s mind, but he was too nervous to voice it. They pulled up next to the curb and Dan scrambled to unbuckle himself.

“I’ll grab my stuff and check out, no need to come in!”

Gavin also began attempting to untangle himself.

“No way am I letting you leave my sight. Bloody hell, Dan! Wait up!”

Dan had bolted for the door already, leaving Gavin behind.

“Wanker!”

He managed to get the car door open and lept out, almost tripping on the curb before he managed to reach the entrance. Ryan’s breathy laughter followed him in.

A decent number of teenagers stood around in the lobby, talking and laughing. Some hung out on the couches on their phones while a few more gathered around an old TV in the corner. Gavin barely managed to catch a glimpse of Dan as he disappeared into a door in the back of the large room. The blond sighed, then waltzed through the teens to the desk where an older woman sat with a magazine in her hands. He cleared his throat upon reaching her.

“Um, my friend is roomin’ here and got ahead of me. He, uh, didn’t give me a room number… Do you think you could give it ta me?”

The woman slowly moved her eyes from her reading to him, the deadpan expression slightly unnerving.

“What’s his name?”

“Dan, uh, Daniel Grunchy.”

Her eyes widened a fraction and she leaned forward in her seat, suddenly interested.

“You must be Gavin, then. His lost friend?”

“Um, yes. That’d be me, ma’am.”

She narrowed her eyes, studying him for a few seconds. A bead of sweat ran down his neck. Eventually, she grunted and leaned back into her seat, picking her magazine back up.

“Gary can show you up. Gary!”

A boy about Gavin’s age with a shaved head and large eyes appeared from the crowd.

“Yes, Ms. Bram?”

“This ‘ere’s Gavin, Dan’s friend. Apparently, the boy ran off ahead of him. Show ‘im up please.”

“Oh wow! He really did it then!”

Gary suddenly was in Gavin’s face, studying it closely. The blond pulled back a bit, startled at the intrusion. Apparently satisfied, Gary let out a sound of approval and hopped back, moving towards the door that Dan had entered minutes before.

“Come on then! Wouldn’t want him to carry everything down himself!”

Gavin followed closely as they ascended four flights of tight stairs and moved down a hallway. A few other teens passed them, waving as they continued on their way.

“I can’t believe he actually found you! Those of us who knew why he was here were all rooting for him, ya’ know? We were starting to think he’d lost hope, with his attitude last night and this morning.”

“Really? I guess he would, searching for as long as he has. Bloody insane, I tell you.”

The other boy let out a laugh, face wide and open. He stopped at an open door.

“Welp, this is it. Welcome to our home sweet home for the last month.”

The room was fairly small, enough space for the two beds and a dresser between them. The single curtain was open, the view of an alley visible despite the dirty glass of the window. Dan crouched in the center, rapidly throwing clothing into a large duffle bag. His worn backpack sat on his bed, open with a few trinkets spilling out.

“Need any help, B?”

Dan started at the voice, flinching back and falling over. Gary cackled and threw himself onto the other bed, pulling out his phone.

“Gavin! I told you to stay in the car!”

“Well, I wasn’t gonna let you carry everything by your bloody self! I’m just glad your roommate was willing to lead me up and that the receptionist didn’t tell me to wait!”

The Brit shot Gary a look of pure contempt before picking himself off the floor and grabbing the small bundle he had dropped.

“Oh. I was hoping you wouldn’t meet Gary.”

The aforementioned teen gasped and placed his hand on his chest, scandalized.

“Why, Grunchy! I’m offended that you wouldn’t want me to meet him! After all I’ve had to put up with, the least you could do is introduce me to your long-lost boyfriend!”

The two Brits made identical faces of disgust.

“Ew! That’s bloody disgusting, that is-”

“Ugh! I can’t even imagine-”

Gary cackled over their exclamations.

“I’m just messin’ with you. I know how much this meant to Dan. I’m just happy he found what he was lookin’ for, and that I got to see it happen.”

Dan shook his head, snorting, but went back to work packing. Gavin shifted awkwardly on his feet, fingers tapping on his thighs.

“Anything I can help with, B?”

“I’m almost done. Just a few more things and I’ll be good. Ryan still outside?”

“For the time being, yep. If we take too long though, he’ll probably come in after us. Bloke gets nervous when I disappear without lettin’ him know.”

Dan paled at the thought of the man in all his masked glory charging in to save his friend from a non-existent threat.

“Yeah… let’s not let that happen.”

With that statement, the teen zipped his bad closed and stood up, stretching. Gavin moved over to his bed, nabbing the backpack and closing it, then swinging it over his shoulder.

“After you, Grunchy.”

Dan smirked and rolled his eyes, but hefted his bag over his shoulder anyway and proceeded into the hallway, the other two following him. They made their way back down to the lobby in comfortable silence, the three occupied with maneuvering the stairs. Gavin and Gary stood by and watched as Dan checked out, the latter frowning when the Brit swore.

“Something wrong, Grunchy?”

The teen shot him a glare then turned back to Ms. Bram who was certainly not amused.

“I paid in advance for this week and I can’t get a refund for the days I won’t be staying.”

Gary flinched.

“That’s a big oof, man.”

“You’re sure that I can’t get my money back?”

He was pleading with the woman by now.

“No can do, kid. Rules are rules.”

Dan groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

“Don’t worry, B! We can spot you the bill!”

The blond smiled wide as Dan whipped around and stared at him in shock.

“You, you’d really do that? You don’t have to, I mean, I was the one who wasn’t thinking and paid when I didn’t know how long I’d be stayin’.”

“Of course! It’s my fault that you’re not ‘ere to get your money’s worth! Besides, Ryan makes sure his people are taken care of, and you’re one of us now.”

“I, are you sure? I couldn’t take money from someone I don’t even know.”

“Stop worrying! Ryan’ll be more than fine with it! Besides, not like he’d miss a couple hundred quid.”

Dan averted his eyes and blushed a little, embarrassed. Gary whistled.

“Who’s this Ryan fellow? I’d like to know someone who’s willing to throw two hundred dollars at someone he doesn’t know.”

Gavin snorted and smiled razor sharp at the other boy.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

Dan ignored the other two, finishing the paperwork for his stay, then turned back around and picked up his bag.

“All set. Let’s not keep our ride waiting.”

He started to make for the door, but was stopped by the other Brit grabbing his arm.

“What?”

“Aren’t you gonna say bye to your roommate?”

That got Dan to look back at Gary. The boy was shifting back and forth and wringing his hands.

“Um…”

“It’s coolio, man. I, uh, understand.”

“No, no! It’s not that… I just… Thanks. Thanks for listening to me rant about not finding shite and keeping me from losing hope.”

Gary smiled wide, his eyes watering slightly.

“Awwww, Grunchy! You really know how to butter a guy up.”

Gavin burst out laughing, his arms wrapped around his gut. Dan wrinkled his nose and made a noise of displeasure. Gary’s shit-eating grin was wide and open.

“But seriously, it was no problem, man. I hope that you’re able to make up for lost time with your bro. And, keep in touch, will you?”

“Of course! Who else could I call to listen to me rant about assholes who have no concept of personal space?”

The two laughed, then went in for a hug, Gary’s smile more genuine and Dan actually smiling.

“Don’t get into too much trouble. I’d hate to have to come bail you out.”

“No promises, Danny boy! Now, shoo!”

With that, the bald teen disappeared back into the crowd, leaving the two Brits standing by the desk. Dan looked over at Gavin, who was watching him with a dopey smile.

“What are you lookin’ at, you mong?”

“I’m glad you’ve made other friends. I’d hate to be the reason that you’re all socially awkward.”

“Nope! Afraid that’s all natural. Now, how about you say we get going?”

The two made their way back outside, spotting the still-running car and the figure of Ryan through the darkened glass. They moved around to the back, popping the trunk and throwing the bags in before climbing inside themselves.

“You two took long enough.”

Ryan’s deadpan tone had a slightly concerned edge to it.

“Had to say goodbye to my roommate and check out. Good to go now.”

The man looked to Gavin for confirmation. The teen smiled broadly.

“His roomie’s a good bloke, helped ‘im keep his head on and such. Kind of an ass about it though.”

The man nodded, then pulled smoothly onto the street and began driving back towards downtown. Gavin suddenly jerked, gasping.

“What now?”

“I almost forgot! B needs us to spot him for his stay. He paid for the week and couldn’t get the quid back.”

Ryan looked back at Dan through the mirror.

“This true?”

The teen averted his eyes and fidgeted with his fingers.

“Dan? It’s okay, we have more than enough. I just want to make sure that this prick isn’t trying to swindle cash out of me.”

Gavin squawked in protest.

“Oi! I’d never do tha’! You’re the prick, prick!”

The man shoved the blond to the right. He sputtered and swatted at the offending arm.

“What the hell, Rye! Pay attention!”

Ryan merely chuckled and looked at Dan again, ignoring the continuing protests from his passenger. The Brit watched the exchange with wide eyes.

“Well?”

He mumbled something under his breath, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the sounds of a little shit. 

The blond’s face twisted into a pout and he crossed his arms, turning away from the man. He proceeded to mock him under his breath. Ryan ignored Gavin and continued to look at Dan.

“I guess, so… I’ve been paying weekly, and didn’t really think about what’d happen once I found ‘im. I lost the rest of my week in rent.”

“How much we lookin’ at?”

“Well, I, uh, I was booked through next Monday, so that’s six days… about two hundred and ten US.”

His voice had gotten quieter as he spoke, barely above a whisper when he finished. Ryan nodded, satisfied.

“That’s not a problem, Dan. Thank you for letting me know.”

The car fell silent other than Gavin’s continued mocking. Ryan allowed it to continue for a few minutes before firmly smacking the teen on the arm.

“Stop it, you’re just bitter because it’s true.”

“I’m offended you think that low of me, Rye. I thought I was your favorite!”

“Only when you shut up and take it.”

“Oh, I can take it! I can take it so good, Rye!”

“You can’t look at wet bread without losing your lunch, I doubt you could handle me.”

“Wanna bet?”

This time, the man’s gloved hand hit Gavin’s face, knocking his sunglasses askew and causing him to sputter, reaching up to fix them immediately.

“Oi! Ryan! Not my glasses!”

“I’d be more worried about your nose. Something that big is easily breakable.”

“Ryan!”

“Oh, did I hurt Gavin’s feelings?”

His voice pitched up, mocking the Brit’s higher tone.

“Well, you have stupid hair!”

“My hair is glorious and nothing will take that away from me.”

Gavin took another swing at the man, only to get thwarted once more. They soon turned off the street into an underground parking lot. Dan sat up a little when he spied the various supercars present. They parked and clambered out, the two teens going for the trunk to collect the bags. Ryan got out then reached up, pulling off his skull mask and revealing his face. Dan couldn’t help but stare. The man’s face was not ugly, though it was studded by stubble and marred by a few scars. Black paint that might have originated from the eyes at one point ran down his cheeks, creating a terrifying visage that was somewhat ruined by his long blond hair -- pulled back into a ponytail -- and kind smile, though the slight spattering of blood at his left temple was ruining the kind expression.

Gavin spotted the red and was by his side in a flash, reaching up.

“You knew I was hurt.”

“Yeah, but it’s different then seein’ it! Bloody hell, how hard is your head pounding?”

“I’ve had worse.”

The teen’s face pinched in suspicion. The man sighed, but still leaned down to allow him to inspect the wound. He grabbed Ryan’s head before poking at the spot a little bit.

“I wish you’d stop getting hurt,” he mumbled, fingers gently brushing over the spot.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I’ll try harder in the future.” Ryan shrugged best he could bent almost in half.

Gavin frowned sharply. “I’d prefer it if you’d stop getting hurt all together.”

“Both you and I know that’s not an option,” Ryan said, almost sad.

“Jesus, Ryan!”

Gavin pushed the man’s head away. Ryan stood up, rubbing at his temple and looking down at the Brit.

“What?”

“I can’t believe you sometimes.”

He turned his head away, clenching his fists. The man reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Gav, talk to me.”

Ryan’s voice was soft, his brow pinched in worry. Gavin threw the arm off, glaring up at the man.

“You always say that. You always say that it’s fine, that it’s okay for you to get hurt since you’ve had worse.”

He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.

“You think that I don’t worry? That every time you come home injured I don’t keep myself up at night wondering if you’ll come back in pieces?”

“Gavin, I-”

“Let me finish. Just because you can handle being injured doesn’t mean I can. I care, Rye. We all care. So, stop being a right mong and take care of yourself for me.” his voice shook with emotion, eyes narrowed.

Dan edged around the car, feeling as if he were intruding on a private moment. Still, he watched with wide eyes as Ryan sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“I’m sorry, Gav. I didn’t realize it bothered you so much.”

“You’re an idiot.” he snorted

“I know.”

The two suddenly seemed to realize where they were. Ryan turned back towards Dan and smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry about that. Let’s head up, I’ve already texted the others so they know to receive us in the penthouse.”

Dan’s eyebrows rose, impressed, but he followed the two over to the elevator. Gavin began dancing on his toes as they waited for the carriage to arrive. Ryan shot him a concerned look, but otherwise took no action. Soon, the elevator dinged and the door opened. They got in and the man pulled out a key ring, selecting a key and inserting it into a slot. The button with the highest number printed on it lit up and he hit it, pulling the key back out and stepping back.

As they ascended, Gavin began fidgeting more, wringing his hands and actively worrying his lip. Ryan looked down at him, brow furrowing, before he lent over, pulling the teen into a one-armed hug.

“Don’t worry, Gav, Geoff’ll understand. What you’re doing is pointlessly worrying.”

“But Ryan--” Gavin started.

“No buts!” Ryan said, grinning as he tickled Gavin’s ribs.

Gavin giggled a little and Ryan smiled, before leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of his head. The Brit squawked and flailed, but the man got in a good hair fluff before wrapping both arms around him and trapping him against his chest.

“Don’t do that around random people!”

The teen’s face was red, his glasses askew and carefully-gelled hair ruffled out of place. He shifted in Ryan’s arms, reaching up to fix his glasses and attempting to fix his hair. His mouth turned down into a pout, but he settled in, leaning into the man.

“It got you to stop worrying, didn’t it?” Ryan asked, chuckling, settling against the wall, still holding Gavin.

The only response was the blond’s grumbling. Dan watched the exchange with wide eyes, his big question burning with the need to be asked, but he managed to hold his tongue.

The rest of the ride up went by fairly quickly, the other two riders seemingly done with teasing each other but clearly happy to stay pressed against each other. The doors opened and they stepped out into a long hallway with one door at the end. Dan made it out of the elevator before he stopped, his feet practically stuck to the floor. The two kept moving, making it almost halfway to the door, but Dan stayed put, his grip on his duffle tightening and his feet shifting. Gavin stopped and turned around, frowning at his friend.

“Come on, B. They won’t bite. Jeremy might be a little nervous around you at first, but he’ll warm up pretty easily and then you won’t be able to get rid of ‘im. Oh, and Michael might be a bit upset with you -- he thinks you gave up on finding me -- but I’ll talk to ‘im and it should be good. And Jack’ll love you-”

“Gavin, you’re overwhelming him.” Ryan chided gently, frowning at the blond.

The teen smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

“Sorry, B. Just tryin’ to help your nerves.”

Dan smiled back, internally shaking himself.

“I’m good, Gav. I, uh, I just needed a moment.”

He took a deep breath and took a step forward, then another one. He crossed the distance quickly and the three proceeded down the hallway together. They reached the door and Gavin threw it open without preamble, making Ryan chuckle low and warm.

“We’re back! And we’ve brought a friend!”

Shouts of welcome floated out as the teen moved in. Dan hesitated for a moment, casting a glance up at Ryan. The man smiled and gestured with his head, giving him the go ahead. The Brit squared his shoulders and entered the penthouse.

The scene that greeted him was not what he expected. A short hallway opened up into a living space, the back of a couch and a glass door the only things visible from his position. Dan stepped further into the apartment, already peering around the corner. A second couch came into view along with a very large flat-screen TV and an impressive array of gaming systems. Gavin lay on top of someone else, all of his limbs splayed out. Ryan moved around Dan, walking into another room.

“What the fuck, Gavin! I’m trying to play! Get off!”

The source of the voice was the man his friend lay on top of. He pushed the Brit off with a mighty heave, throwing him to the floor.

“Awww, Micool! I missed you!” Gavin whined, laughing breathlessly.

The man -- Michael? -- sneered down at him, settling back down with a controller in hand. He caught sight of Dan in the doorway and furrowed his brow, looking back down at the blond on the floor.

“Who the fuck’s this prick? Did you pick up another fucking stray?”

“I did no-” he cut himself off, humming. “Well, technically…”

“Fucking Christ, Gav. You’re as bad as Ryan sometimes.”

The man paused his game and stood up, stretching. Now that Dan had a clearer view, he could see reddish curls poking out from underneath a beanie and a graphic tee advertising some sort of video game. He walked over, his hands in his pockets until he reached the Brit, his hand coming out for a handshake.

“Michael Jones. Hope this idiot hasn’t bothered you too much.”

“Dan Grunchy, and I’ve known him long enough to be used to it.” he started to chuckle, taking the other’s hand and shaking.

Michael froze, his hand gripping Dan’s tightly. His eyes narrowed into a glare and his mouth twisted into a snarl.

“ _You’re_ Dan? _The_ Dan?”

“Um… yes?” he managed weakly, eyes going a little wide.

“The Dan that left my brother to run around Los Santos all by himself? The Dan that never bothered to try and find him?”

The ginger leaned down, snarling directly in the Brit’s face. Dan leaned back, trying to free himself from the iron grip.

“Don’t hurt ‘im Micool! I didn’t exactly make it easy for ‘im. Besides, he’s actually been searching cities for me for almost a year now! That has to count for somethin’!” Gavin defended.

Michael narrowed his eyes, searching for something, then let out a snort, releasing his grip and glaring at Dan.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. If Gavin so much as hints that you’re making him uncomfortable, you’re gone. Got it?” he growled, just a few octaves from yelling.

“Got it.”

Dan let out a breath as the ginger walked back to the couch and sat back down, grabbing his controller and starting up the game again. Gavin finally picked himself off the floor and flopped down next to him. Dan continued to stand awkwardly at the entrance, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

“Hey, where’s Lil J?” Gavin suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

“Right here!”

The shout came from behind the couch, a small head popping up. Gavin screeched and flailed, falling off the couch once more. The head was followed by a body, the small boy smoothly hopping over the couch and cackling.

“Jeremy, what have I told you about scaring the others?” Ryan called from the other room.

“Only to do it when we can catch it on camera!”

Michael laughed, but otherwise ignored the groaning Brit on the ground. The boy, Jeremy, dropped off the sofa and ran over to Dan.

“Hiya! I’m Jeremy! Who’re you?”

“I’m Dan,” he said, feeling like he had whiplash.

“Dan? Like, Gavin’s Dan? From the stories?” Jeremy asked, head tilted to the side a little.

“That’s me. I hope he hasn’t soiled my reputation too much.” he smiled, grateful for something a little more normal.

“I ‘ave not!” Gavin called.

He’d gotten off the floor again and now stood with his hands on his hips. Ryan and someone else laughed in the other room. Dan poked his head around, curious, and saw a large kitchen with a long table on the far side. Ryan, a red-haired woman, and a black-haired man all stood around the counter, Ryan throwing his head back as he swallowed what looked like pills. The two strangers smiled at Dan, waving. He cautiously waved back before turning his attention back to the three in the living room. Jeremy had clamored his way onto Michael’s lap and Gavin stood scowling over both of them. Dan felt a presence from behind him and looked back to see Ryan standing over him.

“Gavin,” the man said, “Why don’t we take Dan down to our apartment to drop off his stuff; we’re having dinner up here tonight, and I want him to be settled.”

“Great idea!”

Dan moved back to the door as Gavin raced over. Ryan reached out and ruffled his hair as he passed and the teen squawked in protest, swatting at the hand. The man chuckled, but stopped his assault and followed him over. The question in Dan’s mind grew more and, before he could stop it, it lurched its way out of his mouth.

“Are you two together?”

Everyone stopped at the question. Ryan and Gavin looked at him, confused. Dan blushed, suddenly embarrassed.

“Like, um, _together_ together? Like, well, are you shagging?” he blurted out.

Everyone stared at the Brit. He began sweating. A sudden bark of laughter broke the silence. Dan whipped around to see Ryan doubled over, clutching his stomach and laughing harder than he had seen before, almost silent in hysterics. This was followed immediately by the rest of the occupants bursting into laughter simultaneously. Michael paused his game and pulled off his glasses, wiping at his eyes even as he cackled. Jeremy had his head in his hands and was shaking. The two from the kitchen were the loudest, the man actually having collapsed and the woman leaning hard on the counter, doubled over as she tried to keep upright.

“What? It was an honest question!” he exclaimed, waving his hands as he looked for some kind of support.

This only made everyone laugh harder. Dan turned to look at Gavin only to see him beet red and sputtering in an attempt to speak.

“What’s so funny down here? I was all the way in Geoff’s office and could hear you.”

Another man had emerged from what appeared to be a second floor. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at everyone, his expression disapproving. His hair was short and black, and he wore a dark grey shirt, beat up jeans that had some kind of stains, and a leather jacket. He somehow managed to command attention despite the fits of laughter that gripped everyone but him, Gavin and Dan.

“Dan, he, oh my god, I…” Michael tried to answer, but couldn’t through his laughter.

“I can’t believe it! I knew it was only a matter of time!”

The shout came from the man in the kitchen, having overcome his wheezing for long enough to shout for a moment. Dan blushed wildly.

“I don’t know! I just asked a question and now everyone’s, well…”

The man squinted and proceeded down the stairs.

“What’d you ask, boyio?” his accent was difficult to place and thickening as he spoke.

Dan looked down, avoiding eye contact as the man got closer.

“I, well, I asked if RyanandGavinweredating.”

He spoke too quickly for the words to be made out, but the statement still sent another wave of laughter through the apartment.

“I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I wanted to know if Ryan and Gavin were dating.”

The man stopped, let out a long sigh and pinched his brow. He shook his head slowly as if in disbelief.

“No, no, no… I can’t believe…”

“What?”

“No, boyio, Ryan and Gavin are not dating. Ryan pulled Gavin off the streets when he was ten. He’s a father to the kid. Why would you even think that?” he looked a mixture of disbelieving and annoyed.

Now Dan was as red as Gavin.

“I, well, they were teasing each other, and Gavin was really worried about Ryan getting hurt, and Ryan was hugging Gav to calm him down…”

The man raised an eyebrow. The others continued to laugh around him.

“I guess, in hindsight, maybe I was quick to assume…”

“Yes. You were. Now, I’m gonna take my leave. You fucks better get a grip, Jesus.”

The man pushed past Dan and exited the apartment.

It took a few minutes for the laughter to subside. By that time, Ryan had mostly recovered and was wiping at his eyes, the makeup having run down his face with the tears. Michael threw himself back onto the couch, trying to catch his breath and Jeremy had planted himself onto the couch next to Michael and lay in an identical position. The woman finished wiping her eyes and came out, giving Dan a big hug; he was too shocked to resist. The man picked himself off the floor and came out too, dropping himself onto the couch. Gavin was still red, but no longer sputtering. The woman pulled back and looked down at Dan, smiling.

“I’m Jack, the woman of this house. It’s nice to finally meet you, Dan.”

He smiled back, then looked towards the man. He stared back for a second before understanding dawned on his face.

“I’m Geoff. This is _my_ apartment and I’m excited to get to know you, if anything Gav’s told us about you is true.”

Ryan came up from behind and laid a hand on Dan’s shoulder.

“Why don’t we go get him settled before he does anything else to derail us.”

His voice was breathy, evidence of the extended laughing fit, but warm. Gavin nervously approached the two, his face still red, but less so than before.

“I, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to assume or anything, I wasn’t thinking-”

“Dan, it’s fine. It’s not the worst assumption someone’s made about me; probably the funniest though.” Ryan chuckled, shaking his head as Gavin buried his face in his hands for a moment.

Ryan patted his shoulder once before turning to exit the apartment. Gavin smiled shakily before following. Dan took a moment to collect himself before heading out after them.

They made the trip in good time, dropping his bags in a bedroom that the two promised he would have to himself. Ryan showed him where the bathroom was and they let him have a moment to wash his face and when he left, he found Ryan and Gavin waiting for him, Ryan’s face now free of makeup. He gave Dan a nod before leading the way back upstairs. By the time they arrived back in the penthouse, Jack and Geoff were putting food out on the long table and Michael and Jeremy were setting out plates and silverware. The three quickly joined them and soon dinner was underway.

“Who was that other man?” Dan asked as his plate was piled with food.

“Oh, him? That was Joel. He was up here doing a bit of reading in my office.” Geoff answered, shrugging away the question.

When no other information was offered about the man, Dan allowed the subject to drop. At first, the atmosphere felt awkward, the new presence disrupting the usual flow of conversation. Soon, however, they seemed to get over the hurdle and easily fell into roles. The Brit watched as Gavin laughed and teased everyone into answering outrageous questions with equally outrageous answers being provided. Michael shouted and swore, Geoff threatened, Jack laughed, and Ryan said creepy things that never failed to get a rise out of someone. Jeremy was quiet, seemingly content to sit and listen, but added his piece occasionally. Eventually, Dan found himself drawn into the conversation, joining in and laughing with the others. It felt good, knowing that these people were the ones to save Gavin from the streets.

After dinner, everyone dispersed, Michael and Ryan taking over dishes for the night whilst Geoff and Jack retired to what Dan assumed were their rooms. Gavin and Jeremy hopped onto the couches, pulling out their phones to fiddle with. Dan joined them, only having to wait around twenty minutes for the two to finish dishes.

“Boys, we’re heading down. Come on,” Ryan called.

Gavin and Jeremy jumped up, racing to the door and out into the hallway. Dan followed at a more subdued pace, shaking his head at their antics. They all made their way down the hall and filed their way into the elevator, taking it down a few floors to the family’s apartment. Once more, the two youngest raced to the door, cheering way too loud for how late it was. The other three followed, taking their time and not worrying about what the other two might get into. Michael continued down the hall, heading into another apartment with a wave. When Dan cast a questioning look to Ryan, he shrugged.

“Michael spends most nights in Lindsay’s apartment,” he answered.

They entered, Jeremy saying a quick “Goodnight!” before disappearing into one of the bedrooms. Ryan shook his head, then turned to Dan.  
  
“You know where the bathroom is, but feel free to grab anything from the kitchen if you need it. Until you leave for England, consider here your home.”

“Thank you, Ryan. It means a lot.”

He smiled, then headed towards another door.

“Night, sleep well.”

This left Gavin and Dan alone. They both shifted uncomfortably for a second before the blond smiled brightly.

“You good?”

“I’m good.”

“Top! The room you’re staying in is Michael’s when he’s sleeping here. I bunk with J and Ryan has his own room. If you need anything, don’t be afraid to come get me!”

“Thanks, B.”

The two walked down the hall, Gavin stopping at his door and giving him one last quick hug.

“Night, B!”

“Night.” he smiled and watched Gavin enter his and Jeremy’s room.

Dan entered his room and sighed. He walked over and sat down on his bed, running his hand through his hair as he did so. He looked around, taking in the dark room; it was covered with posters and pictures, pretty standard. The bed was comfortable underneath him, sinking a little under his weight, and bigger than he’d expected. In the gloom, he could make out a closet, a bookshelf, and a desk, but not what was on it, and he didn’t want to turn on the bedside table lamp to figure out what the rest of the details of the room were.

“Well, that was somethin’.”

He laid down and stayed there for a while, just digesting everything that had happened that day. He eventually worked up the energy to put his pajamas on and get ready for bed, shuffling around a bit. He sighed, crawling under the heavy, warm covers and getting comfortable.

“Maybe everything will make more sense in the morning,” he mumbled, closing his eyes.

However, despite his heavy eyelids and general exhaustion, his body refused to fall asleep. He tossed and turned for a long time, drifting in and out, but unable to truly sleep. Eventually, he sat up, throwing the covers off and planting his feet on the soft carpet at the side of the bed, keeping his feet safe from the cool hardwood in the rest of the apartment. His set his face in his hands, rubbing at his tired eyes.

“Stupid brain. Can’t even get some bloody sleep when I need it.”

He sighed, then got up, pacing the room a few times before deciding that he wasn’t going to be able to sleep and heading into the kitchen area to grab a cup of water. Dan dug through the cabinets for a bit before he uncovered the glasses and filled it from the sink. He turned around to lean against the counter and almost dropped his drink when he noticed Ryan sitting shirtless at the dining table, head resting in his hand, eyes focusing on Dan, like he’d been lost in thought a moment ago. The lights were on their dimmest setting, washing him out in soft shadows and making him look almost grey. Dan’s eyes flicked over the scars that littered Ryan’s chest and the few tattoos he could see, slowly relaxing.

“Bloody hell, Ryan, let a bloke know when you’re in the room.”

“Nah,” he answered, smirking, “Can’t sleep?”

Dan nodded, sipping at his water.

“Me neither, but that’s nothing new.” he shrugged and leaned back, staring out the living room window.

The teen hummed, then walked over, easing himself into the chair across from the man. The two sat in silence for a bit, just enjoying the company and the sounds of the city at night. Dan was the first to break the silence.

“Gavin never got around to telling me how he ended up with you.”

“He didn’t?” The man sounded surprised.

“Yeah, I think he was stalling at the coffee shop because I really didn’t get anything from him.”

Ryan smiled and laughed softly.

“Yeah, that’d be Gavin. Well, what do you want to know?”

“I guess, how he ended up with you?”

“That’s easy enough. I was out running errands. Michael was sixteen and in the grips of a growth spurt, so we were always in need of groceries. Anyways, I was walking through downtown when this twink of a kid runs past me, lifting my wallet. I chased after him, mostly because I had things way more important than cash in it, and found him looking through it a block down in an alley. I approached him and asked for it back.”

The man laughed to himself before continuing.

“I’ll never forget the look he gave me. It was the best deer-in-the-headlights look I’d ever seen. He froze and tried to bolt, but I grabbed him. That’s when he started squawking. I almost dropped him in surprise, but, well, I didn’t. I grabbed my wallet back and set him down. I expected him to run right away, but he just stood there, looking at me. Then, he said ‘Sorry, sir! I just wanted a couple o’ quid for a meal’. I knelt down and told him, ‘I’ll do you one better. Follow me.’ I took him to the grocery store and then brought him back to the apartment -- not this one -- and cooked dinner for him, offering him a place to sleep if he needed it. He stayed, but left early the next morning. It was about a week before he turned up again, just before dinner.”

Ryan smiled.

“After that, he’d stay the night, but disappeared before either of us were awake. Then, one day, he didn’t leave. It was only then that I asked him who he was. ‘Gavin Free, age ten,’ he said. He’s been with us ever since.”

Dan hummed to himself, chewing on his lip in thought. Ryan looked at him curiously.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, just thinking. It lines up with what I know. He was on the streets for about a year then.”

Ryan nodded, then looked straight at Dan. The intensity of his stare was a little unnerving.

“Your turn. How’d you two meet?”

Dan smiled and sipped at his water again.

“We were both two years old. He’d just moved into the town and it was his first day at the daycare. My mum was really late picking me up, and Gav’s parents were nowhere to be found, so we played together while the caretakers panicked about not knowing where our guardians were. Mum had run into a last-minute thing to do at work and was really late, but when she got there and realized that there was another kid, she insisted on waiting until someone showed.”

Ryan watched him with intense, unnerving eyes. Dan swallowed before continuing.

“It was a nanny that eventually came to pick him up. This happened every day for a week before Mum took it upon herself to contact his parents. They agreed to let her take him back to our place until the nanny could come over. From there on, we were basically inseparable. His parents began passing him off on us for entire weekends. When we hit primary, he was over our house after school every day and tried to continue spending weekends. Eventually, his parents stopped letting him come over, and he had to sneak off. I, well, we knew something was up, especially when there was a straight week when he didn’t have lunch at school. Mum started packing extras for me to make sure Gav ate.”

Ryan’s eyes had turned hard, his expression tense, but he made no effort to stop Dan from continuing.

“We couldn’t exactly prove anything; Gav’s parents were really rich and carried a lot of influence. There were lots of times where I wouldn’t see him outside of school for a long period of time. Gav claimed that they were ‘grooming’ him to take over the company. It came to a head in the last year he was there. There was a month-long period where he just moved in with us. He claimed that his parents had told him that he wasn’t allowed to leave his room other than to go to school, so he’d run. It took his parents a _month_ to realize that he wasn’t in the house at all. Mum and Da were furious, but they still couldn’t do anything.”

At this point, the man had begun to grip the edge of the table, his knuckles white. Dan soldiered on.

“Then, came news of a trip. Apparently, Gav’s parents were trying to make up with him and they were taking a month long trip to America to prove that they were serious. He was so excited about it. They were gonna hit six cities: Boston, New York, St. Louis, Austin, San Francisco, and Los Santos. They left when we were nine years old. Then, about five days before they were due back, his parents come back, _without_ Gavin. They claimed that he’d run away and hired a private investigator to look for him. The guy spent a week in Boston before calling the case cold and closing it.”

“Do you know how they left him?” Ryan’s voice was cold, something like growl rumbling in his chest, the sound not unlike an angry wolf.

“I didn’t, not until the coffee shop. He told me there. Apparently, he’d been wanting to go into a certain shop, but his parents didn’t want to, so they made a deal with him that he’d have twenty minutes in the store and then come back to meet them. He spent twenty minutes in the store and came back out, only for his parents to have disappeared. He tried to find them, talked to employees and everything, but left before the cops could arrive. I can only imagine he was on the streets from then until you found ‘im.”

Dan fell silent, looking down into his glass. Ryan’s eyes bored a hole into the table, his hands still gripping the wood.

“What the hell, Grunchy!”

Both started and whipped around to see Gavin standing in the doorway, anger clear on his face.

“What did I do?”

“What did you do? You bloody told ‘im, that’s what!” he all but shrieked, gesticulating wildly.

“What do you mean?” Dan asked slowly, confusion clear on his face and eyes growing wide with realization.

“I hadn’t told ‘im about my bloody parents yet, Dan!” Gavin yelled, hands balling into fists.

“Why not?”

“Why not? Why not!?”

By now, Gavin had stomped his way over to the table so he stood over Dan, fuming.

“Because I know Ryan. And if I’d told him what pieces of shit my parents were then he’d leave, Dan. He’d leave and go kill them and never be able to come back and then I’d have lost him.”

Dan stared up in shock.

“Gav-” Ryan started, reaching towards him, the coldness gone from his eyes in an instant, replaced with concern.

“I don’t want to hear it, Ryan!”

The blond pinned the man in place, his green eyes flashing with fury and hurt. He turned back to Dan.

“You don’t understand, of course you don’t.” he took a shaking breath, then growled, “Ryan is all me and my brothers have. If he left on some revenge quest, then we’d be on our own again. Geoff and Jack aren’t _him_. I’d do anything to keep that from happening.”

Tears began to run down his cheeks and he lifted a hand up to wipe at them.

“I trusted you, Dan.”

With that, he turned and bolted out of the apartment, leaving silence behind.

“You, you didn’t know?” Dan asked quietly.

“No. He clams up whenever we ask. I assumed it was bad, but I never…” Ryan trailed off, staring after Gavin.

They sat there for a few minutes in silence, thinking hard; Dan about the apparent mistake he’d made and possibly losing his best friend after having just found him again and Ryan about what to do with his middle child.

“He’s probably on the roof. He likes to go up and look at the garden when he’s upset,” Ryan said after a minute, standing.

He walked back into his room and came out pulling a shirt on over his head, then gave Dan a calculating look before he sighed and ran a hand through his messy blond hair. He looked tired now, but in a worried way, like he’d expected this reaction.

“I’m headed up. I’d recommend you come too, but give me a chance to talk him down first.”

Dan nodded, still reeling from Gavin’s outburst. Ryan pulled on a pair of sneakers and left. The teen sat at the table, drinking his water and contemplating the issue. He truly hadn’t known that Ryan didn’t know about his crappy excuses for parents. He’d assumed that Gavin had at least told the minimum of the story and hadn’t even thought that he might have held off on telling his new family. The waiting soon became too much, and he stood up, deciding that he had waited long enough. However, upon reaching the elevator, he was surprised to have it open to reveal both Ryan and Gavin. He swallowed nervously, tongue thick in his mouth.

“B, I, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think-” he started, scrambling to put together a halfway decent apology.  
  
Gavin cut him off with a small, tired smile and rubbed at his face, tear tracks drying and making his cheeks blotchy and red. He looked so small, for an instant, and Dan was frozen, staring at him.

“It’s alright, B. I forgive you. Just me worrying about impossible shite, as usual. I’m sorry for reactin’ like that.”

The blond punctuated his statement by draping himself over his friend, arms looped loosely around his shoulders and going fully limp, leaving Dan suddenly struggling to lift him.

“Jeez, Gav, warn a guy before you fall on ‘em.” he paused then squeezed him and added, “It’s all good, B.”

Ryan chuckled softly before gently pushing the two back towards the apartment.

“I know you two just made up and everything, but it’s quite late and I think it’s about time for you to find some sleep.”

At the mention of rest, Dan had to hold back a large yawn. Gavin followed suit, but did remove himself from his friend so they could make it through the door. They filed in, Ryan giving them the second “goodnight” of the night before heading back into his room. This time, when Dan’s head hit the pillow, he had no trouble falling asleep.

-_-_-_-

The next morning, Dan sat at the dining table, his head propped up on his hands and his eyes half closed. It was ten in the morning, but his late night had robbed him of a good night’s sleep. Gavin set down a cup of hot tea in front of him and plopped down in the next chair over. They sat together in comfortable silence for quite some time, allowing each other to wake up properly, Jeremy still dead asleep. It was then that something occurred to Dan.

“Oh!”

“What?”

“I forgot to tell Mum and Da that I found you!”

Gavin blinked.

“Really? How could you…?”

“Doesn’t matter! I’m gonna grab my phone and we’re gonna facetime so they believe me!”

Dan lept up, running to his room to grab his cell. Gavin shook his head, but made no motion to stop him. The teen came back, already calling and sat back down, pulling over a salt shaker to prop the phone up. He looked at Gavin hard for a few seconds before shifting the phone so only Dan would be seen.

“Oi! Why aren’t you letting me see them? It’s been bloody forever!”

“I want it to be a surprise!”

“ _What’s the surprise?_ ” another voice asked. 

Dan jumped before realizing that the call had connected. Both of his parents sat in front of the camera, his mother actually holding it. Both of them had their eyebrow quirked in question.

“Um… hi Mum, Da.”

“ _Hello dear. Where are you? You said you were gonna call when you were on your way home. That doesn’t look like an airport…_ ”

She narrowed her eyes.

“ _Lay off, Mary, let the boy speak_ ,” his dad cut in.

“Thanks, Da. So, um, you know that I was gonna take one more day to look before I bought my ticket?”

“ _Yes…_?” she started, her other eyebrow rising as his dad blinked in mild surprise.

Dan took a deep breath and smiled.  
  
“Well, um… I found him.”

The two adults blinked.

“ _Excuse me, dear. Did you say you found him_?” Mary asked weakly, eyes wide.

“Um, yeah… surprise?” he offered weakly, giving half-assed jazz hands.

Gavin took that as his cue to enter the frame, scooting his chair closer so he didn’t have to lean in and grinned, chirping,

“‘Ello Grunchies! It’s been a while, ‘asn’t it?”

Dan’s mother put a hand to her mouth and Dan’s father’s eyes glistened with tears.

“ _Oh, Dan, I’m so happy! How did you find him?_ ” his dad called, leaning around his wife as if that would get him closer to the boys.

“Well, it’s a funny story really-” Dan laughed nervously.

“Yeah, real funny-” Gavin giggled, sharing a look with his best friend.

“You see, I was walking back to my hostel and I see this small group of people standing around talking in a parking lot-”

“I was out with Ryan and we ‘ad to talk to these two blokes-” Gavin started.

“And it was _Gavin_ that I saw and I knew that I had to help ‘im-” Dan cut in.

“I was all upset, but out of nowhere-”

“ _Boys, enough._ ” Dan’s mom’s voice cut through the chatter.

“Sorry, Mum.” Dan offered sheepishly as Gavin giggled and poked his side like they were kids all over again.

“ _It’s okay. Now, what happened? Dan?_ ” she asked, crossing her arms and tapping her fingers, a nervous tic that he’d picked up. He had to physically restrain himself from copying her.

“Well, he was talkin’ to some guys in a parking lot and I recognized ‘im, but I thought he was in trouble so I attacked the guy he was with and grabbed him and ran away. Turns out that they were just ‘aving some fun and I felt like a right idiot after.”

“ _You attacked someone?_ ” both his parent’s exclaimed in unison, leaning forward as if they could reach through the screen.

Dan’s eyes widened, realizing his error.

“Well, I, uh-”

“Dan just pushed ‘im, is all, no ‘arm done. Anyways, he pulled me all the way into downtown and we ‘ad to stop in an alleyway for me to figure out who it was. We ended up in a cafe for a while just catching up when my ride showed up.” Gavin covered smoothly, wrapping an arm around Dan’s shoulder’s and pressing their temples together, grinning.  
  
Dan nodded and went with the cover easily, taking a deep breath to cover his sigh of relief.

“He then took us over to the hostel to get my stuff and brought me back to their apartment.” he finished.

“ _That’s quite the story dear. I’m glad you found_ ‘ _im._ ” Mary said, beaming at the pair of them.

Dan’s father was in full tears. His mom shook her head, reaching over and pulling out a tissue and handing it to him.  
  
“ _Here you go, Harold,_ ” she said, fondly exasperated at her husband’s over-emotional state.  
  
He took it with a nod and started wiping at his tears, smile wide and happy.

“Anyways, I’m gonna be staying with him and his family for the time being… Do you still want me back in three days?” Dan asked carefully, unsure of how to ask.

She tilted her head in thought, contemplating the question while his father blew his nose in the background. It was then that Ryan decided to come out of his room, shirtless for some reason or another. He didn’t seem to notice the conversation that was happening as he walked over, dropped a kiss on the top of Gavin’s head and moved into the kitchen to find breakfast. The aforementioned teen squawked in protest.

“Ryan! I’m in the middle of something!”

His only response was a non-committal grunt.

“ _Oh, Gavin! Your boyfriend is so handsome!_ ” Mary cooed.

Everyone stopped. Gavin went fully red for the second time in twelve hours and Dan began to rapidly gesture for her to stop talking, eyes wide and a blush climbing up his neck to his face.

“ _Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie! Were you not out yet? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable_.”

Ryan, apparently choosing that moment to tune into his surroundings, laughed and walked back around, leaning over so he was in the frame.

“That’s the second time someone’s come to that conclusion,” he said, smiling, “But I’m afraid you’re incorrect.”

“ _Oh, no! I’m sorry! I didn’t realize-_ ” she started, going a faint pink.

“It’s no problem, ma’am. I’m Ryan, Ryan Haywood and I took Gavin in after he’d been on the streets. He’s been living with me since then and I care for him like a son.” He wrapped an arm around Gavin and squeezed him, gentle and quick, but there. Gavin kept his face hidden in his hands. Dan just looked defeated. “He’s been in my care for the last eleven years,”

Both adults smiled, though Harold’s was significantly more watery, pushing their embarrassment down quickly as they resituated themselves.

“ _I’m very happy to know that Gavin’s been safe, Mr. Haywood_.” Harold managed.

“Oh, it’s really no trouble. I can’t imagine my life without him, to be honest.” Ryan said, waving away the other man, a faint blush appearing at his ears.

Harold began crying again. Mary sighed, then passed the man another tissue. Gavin and Dan shared a look, still too embarrassed to try and contribute to the conversation. Gavin didn’t even attempt to bat away Ryan’s hand as his thumb rubbed at his nape, though his shoulders relaxed faintly. Mary watched the scene with a small, happy smile as Harold left the screen for a moment to blow his nose and find more tissues. She cleared her throat after a minute, when it became apparent that Gavin and Dan had calmed down a little more.

“ _If it’s not too much trouble, I was wondering if I could talk to you more privately, Mr. Haywood?_ ” she asked, firm but gentle.

Ryan looked at the two boys, dropping his hand from Gavin’s nape.

“Why don’t you two find breakfast?” he said gently. “There’s cereal, and eggs and bacon if you want to get a start on that.”

They both got up and moved into the kitchen quickly, leaving Ryan alone with the phone. He picked it up and moved to the couch in the living room, sitting down and smiling at the pair.

“What can I do for you?”

They shared a look.

“ _How did you come across Gavin?_ ” Harold asked slowly, tears drying.  
  
Ryan sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t like remembering how tiny the boy had been.

“He was living on the streets. He tried to pick my pocket and I caught him. When I realized how young he was I brought him home.” he shrugged and a soft smile pulled at his lips. “I already had one stray, what was one more?”

“ _You’re caring for more than just Gav?_ ” Mary asked this time, her eyebrows shooting upwards.

“Yes, I actually have two other boys,” Ryan grinned and stood, walking back to the kitchen table, feeling a need to move. “I’d show you pictures if I had my phone on me. But, my other two are Michael and Jeremy. Michael’s twenty-three and Jeremy’s eleven. I pulled both of them off the streets as well.”

Mrs. Grunchy’s face softened at that.

“ _I don’t think we can thank you enough for taking care of him for us. We couldn’t do anything when we heard from his parents. It’s so good to hear that he found a home._ ”

Ryan blushed, smiling shyly and rubbing the back of his head.

“There’s no need to thank me, I was just doing what anyone would do.”

“ _No, you weren’t_.” she said, voice hard with anger, not directed towards him, before she softened, continuing, “ _The least you could have done was give him a few quid for a meal and left him to his business. You opened up your home for him and gave him a safe place to rest. Not just him, but two other children as well. I don’t know many people who would do that for a strange kid who tried to rob them._ ”

“It was really nothing. They saved me just as much as I saved them.” Ryan ducked his head, blushing harder now, rubbing the back of his neck.

At this point, the two teens had found some cereal and made their way back over to the table, peering over Ryan’s shoulders like that would keep the Grunchy’s judgment at bay.

“‘Ave you given any thought to ‘ow long Dan can stay?” Gavin asked tentatively, holding tight to his bowl of cereal.

“ _...Yes._ ” The two looked at each other and nodded, “ _We’re perfectly okay with Dan staying with you for as long as ‘e wants to._ ”

“Really!?” the two chorused, causing Ryan and Mary to chuckle.

“ _Of course. Our talk, though far too short, with Mr. Haywood has reassured us that he’s reliable and is more than capable at handling the two of you if he can handle three boys already_.”

The teens beamed, Gavin practically vibrating as Dan’s jaw almost dropped to the ground, eyes wide with shock. He hadn’t expected that to happen; at most, he’d expected an extra week.

“Thank you, oh my god, thank you,” he breathed, trying to remember not to jump up and down with a bowl full of cereal. He had a feeling, no matter how gracious Ryan was, that he wouldn’t appreciate having cereal dumped down the back of his head.

“ _You’re welcome, dear. Oh, and Mr. Haywood?_ ” Mary said.

“Please, call me Ryan,” he said, still blushing but smiling just a little now.

“ _Well, then Ryan, I’d like you to know that you and your boys are more than welcome to come and visit us in England any time you want. I, personally, would like to meet you face to face, and to see Gavin once more_.”

Gavin’s face lit up and he let out a cheer, somehow not spilling his breakfast. Dan’s face, on the other hand, paled considerably; the image of the Vagabond and his parents sitting down for tea in his living room too much to handle.

“That’s very kind of you, Mrs. Grunchy, you don’t have to do that.” Ryan tried to decline, ignoring Gavin for the moment, though he knew it was pointless.

“ _Of course I do! It’s the least I could do after everything you’ve done for our Gavin_.” she huffed as Harold nodded in the background, drying his eyes.

Ryan blushed again, ducking his head with a bashful chuckle.

“ _Dan, sweetie?_ ” Mary said, looking for her son, who came a little around Ryan to be seen.

“Yes, Mum?”

“ _You can come home whenever you’re ready. There’s no rush. Spend time catching up with your friend_ ,” she assured, “ _I mean it. I know how much this means to you. Just remember to call us, okay?_ ”

Dan grinned, wide and ecstatic.

“Thanks, Mum! I’ll talk to you later!”

“ _See you, Dan, Gavin_.”

The call ended and the two teens turned to each other, twin grins on their faces. Ryan groaned.

“What have I gotten myself into?” he mumbled, head landing on the table.

“Only the best thing ever!” Gavin and Dan crowed in unison.

The two laughed, then went back to their breakfasts. Ryan shook his head, then got back up to go make himself something to eat.

“Oh, and Ryan?”

“Yes, Gavin?”

“You might want to go put a shirt on.”

The man looked down and audibly sighed, then walked back into his room.

-_-_-_-

The next week and a half passed in a blur. Dan found himself meeting new people left and right, from Michael’s fiance Lindsay to Gavin’s girlfriend Meg and a couple other “co-workers” of the group. He spent a lot of time up in the penthouse, playing video games and catching up with Gavin, so, consequently, he was there when someone came up to talk “business” with Geoff or Jack. He knew they were criminals, it was hard not to recognize the Kingpin himself, but they still tried to keep exposure to the criminal element to a minimum. Dan appreciated the effort, even if it was unnecessary. He collected several phone numbers for if he ever needed help of a certain kind from several of these visitors; two men who seemed to be almost twins and another young man with a short beard who seemed especially close to Jeremy.

It all lead up to where he sat currently; a plane waiting to take off. He was headed home. Gavin’s full family had come to send him off, giving him plenty of souvenirs to bring home and stories to tell. Dan felt his phone buzz. He picked it up, seeing a text from Gavin. It was a picture of all of them together that Joel had taken at one point. Gavin was latched onto his shoulders, Ryan at his left and Michael at his right. Jeremy stood directly in front, small enough that he didn’t have to kneel. Jack and Geoff flanked the group on either side, smiles big and wide. Dan smiled and saved the picture, looking out the window. It had been a long, painful journey, but he had done it. He’d made new friends and, even though his boi would still be across an ocean and a continent, they’d never lose each other again. And so, Dan Grunchy put his head back and began the trip home.

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative story titles include:
> 
> Good Boy Tries to Find Lost Boy  
> Falling Inside the Black  
> Assumptions Are Made and Not Corrected.  
> In Which Dan Cries. A Lot.  
> OC's That are Meant to be Throw-away Characters Take Over
> 
> Thanks for enjoying! We'll be back soon with more quality content.


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